OBJECTIVES: To determine the extent to which therapeutics textbooks address age-related medication information. METHODS: Criteria for 5 disease states prevalent among geriatric patients were developed based on the content of a geriatric textbook and from expert reviewers' input. The criteria were used to determine the degree to which geriatric content was addressed in 3 therapeutics textbooks. RESULTS: The therapeutics textbooks contained less than half of the critical points for 3 disease states: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure, and diabetes mellitus (31%, 33%, and 46%, respectively). In addition, the textbooks addressed only one half to two thirds of the criteria for the remaining 2 disease states of osteoarthritis and dementia (55% and 68%, respectively). Criteria specific to the elderly were addressed less often than criteria that were important but not unique to the elderly (38% and 63%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Current therapeutics textbooks have significant gaps in geriatric medication information. Users of these textbooks must supplement them with primary literature or a geriatric textbook for more comprehensive medication therapy management information.
OBJECTIVES: To determine the extent to which therapeutics textbooks address age-related medication information. METHODS: Criteria for 5 disease states prevalent among geriatric patients were developed based on the content of a geriatric textbook and from expert reviewers' input. The criteria were used to determine the degree to which geriatric content was addressed in 3 therapeutics textbooks. RESULTS: The therapeutics textbooks contained less than half of the critical points for 3 disease states: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure, and diabetes mellitus (31%, 33%, and 46%, respectively). In addition, the textbooks addressed only one half to two thirds of the criteria for the remaining 2 disease states of osteoarthritis and dementia (55% and 68%, respectively). Criteria specific to the elderly were addressed less often than criteria that were important but not unique to the elderly (38% and 63%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Current therapeutics textbooks have significant gaps in geriatric medication information. Users of these textbooks must supplement them with primary literature or a geriatric textbook for more comprehensive medication therapy management information.
Authors: Sunny A Linnebur; Mary Beth O'Connell; Andrea M Wessell; Amie D McCord; Deborah H Kennedy; George DeMaagd; Larry A Dent; Michele Y Splinter; Joseph C Biery; Feng Chang; Rasheen C Jackson; Shannon L Miller; Teresa Sterling Journal: Pharmacotherapy Date: 2005-10 Impact factor: 4.705
Authors: Peggy S Odegard; Robert M Breslow; Michael J Koronkowski; Bradley R Williams; Gayle A Hudgins Journal: Am J Pharm Educ Date: 2007-06-15 Impact factor: 2.047